Canada Moonseed

Menispermum canadense

Safety note: All parts of the plant are toxic. The black berries closely resemble wild grapes but contain toxic alkaloids that can cause convulsions and death. Never consume.

Canada Moonseed is a native woody vine of forest edges, stream banks, and thickets across eastern North America, climbing by twining stems. It produces clusters of black, grape-like berries that are dangerously toxic — a potentially deadly confusion with wild grapes, which they closely resemble. The single crescent-shaped seed within each berry gives the plant its name. Despite human toxicity, the berries are consumed without harm by birds. The vine provides habitat for small wildlife and its flowers attract native bees.

Habitat

Forest edges, stream banks, moist thickets, bottomland woodlands

Diet

Berries eaten by birds despite toxicity to humans; flowers visited by native bees

How common

Common